Elgin Food Truck Fest coming Friday to Festival Park
Twenty-five mobile eateries are expected to participate in the Elgin Food Truck Festival on Friday, filling the void left by the annual food truck festival previously organized by Grand Victoria Casino.
Friday's event at Festival Park is organized by Brew Avenue Events, which also organized the Tri-City Craft Brew Festival, the Cantigny Food Truck Festival and the Naperville Food Truck Festival this summer.
Alessandro Vazquez, president of Brew Avenue Events based in Oswego, said he knew there had been a previous food truck festival in Elgin and had noticed a lot of people from Elgin attended other events organized by his company in the Fox Valley. "It's a pretty good market," he said.
Brew Avenue Events partnered with the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin, which secured permits for a beer tent Friday and will get a donation from the festival, Executive Director Jennifer Fukala said. The money will be used for the marketing campaign for the annual Small Business Saturday event Nov. 23, she said.
Grand Victoria Casino held the annual food truck festival, also at Festival Park, for three years until 2018.
"They had heard through the food truck network that Grand Victoria Casino was not having their food truck fest anymore, and so they saw an opportunity there," Fukala said.
The list of food trucks for Friday includes Cheesie's Truck, Grumpy Gaucho, Salvekis, Habanero Taquito Power, Wok N Roll by Bamboo, Sausage Fest, The Happy Lobster Truck, Pierogi Squad, The Cajun Connoisseur, Ding Ding Chicken Wing and BBQ'd Productions.
Local food trucks will include Bricks on Wheels, the mobile version of Billy Bricks Pizza in Elgin, and Perk N' Pickle, which serves American fare from Justin Brooks and Alicia McCauley of Elgin.
The couple said they took part in last year's Elgin casino food truck festival and have participated in other events organized by Brew Avenue Events.
"We are really glad that somebody is coming in and picking this up," McCauley said.
"The company does it really well. Every time that we've been with him (Vazquez), he's never had a lack of food trucks," Brooks said.
People will have an opportunity to sign up for the neighborhood association mailing list when they purchase tickets, Fukala said.
"They have a large following, from what it seems like, so that's an opportunity for us to reach new people and all of the events hosted in downtown Elgin to get more exposure as a result."
The festival runs 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. There will be also live DJ music and other vendors.
General admission tickets are $5 when purchased online before midnight Thursday and $10 on the day of the event. Kids 10 and under get in free with a paying adult.
Those who want first dibs can pay for entry from 5 to 6 p.m. "Early eater" tickets are $10 online before midnight Thursday and $15 the day of the event. For more information visit downtownelgin.com/event/elgin-food-truck-festival-2019.